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MHC News
Dowdle Construction, the general contractor overseeing the Sevier Park and Sunnyside Mansion improvements with Metro Parks staff and Collier Engineering, are still finalizing permits. However, site work has already begun with the moving of several trees, and the installation of a landscape buffer. Dowdle should be fully mobilized at the site before the end of the month; and as such, the entry drive to Sunnyside will be closed to all vehicles except for those of staff and the construction workers.
MHC staff is moving forward on research and prep work for our National Park Service African American Civil Rights (AACR) grant, which will document Nashville's civil right history and related resources from 1944-1966. In early September, we received four responses to the solicitation for this grant project. The evaluation committee, met in late September to review and score the proposals based on pre-defined criteria. Our consultant’s work should begin in October or November, depending on how quickly the Metro contract gets signed. Staff recently surveyed about 75 sites to document extant resources connected to the Nashville civil rights movement. This list and initial staff research, sourced from the Nashville Public Library’s Civil Rights Collection and Vanderbilt University's James Lawson Papers Collection, will be provided to the consultant upon award. Staff will primarily oversee the consultant’s work after award, but we will also be involved through project promotion, community outreach, and we anticipate some work with oral histories.
Survey activities for the Cemetery Preservation Plan grant project wrapped in August, and we have received the executive summary report, survey dataset, photos, and GPS information for Phase I. Staff created a supplemental list for the report with summaries of endangered sites identified during the survey work. Phase II activities will continue this fall, including public outreach and community meetings. Other cemetery site visits in the last few weeks include the Joseph Cook Cemetery (Hermitage) and the previously unsurveyed Newsom-Whitfield Cemetery (Bellevue), associated with the family that founded the Newsom’s Station Community.
In September, MHC staff researched and wrote summaries for eight properties for the 2022 Belmont-Hillsboro Tour of Homes. Staff has provided these tour descriptions since at least 2004.
At the request of Centennial Park Conservancy (CPC), staff compiled research for the Centennial Croquet Clubhouse at Centennial Park. The 1963 structure was included in the National Register of Historic Places as a contributing building, and the Parks Board has approved its inclusion in the North Side Park Plaza improvements project. CPC is fundraising and applying for grants to assist this initiative, and they will operate the facility as a cafe to create a new revenue stream for the Centennial Park Maintenance Fund.
Staff from the MHC and MHZC participated in Neighbor 2 Neighbor’s 8th Annual Davidson County Good Neighbor Festival Day on September 24th at Cedar Hill Park in Madison. We had a great turnout and lots of public engagement at the MHC booth and passed out information on several of our programs and projects.
MHZC News
The MHZC’s next public hearing will be held on Wednesday, October 19th at 2:00 p.m. at the Metro Nashville Public Schools Administration Building, Board of Education Meeting Room, 2601 Bransford Ave. View the MHZC meeting schedule and application deadlines on our website. Access archived videos of the MHZC meetings on the Metro YouTube channel anytime!
Several months ago, staff with the MHZC contacted neighborhood associations in existing overlays, offering to attend a meeting to provide a short presentation on how neighborhoods can stay involved in the design review process. So far, staff has met with the Belmont-Hillsboro and Germantown neighborhoods and is working on scheduling with others.
![[Official Seal of Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County]](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/fancy_images/TNNASH/2017/12/1699826/3896410/metro-seal-black-and-white_crop.png)
We continue to see strong interest in historical markers from Metro Council members and the community, with new inquiries coming in weekly and 3-4 in the pipeline for the coming months. The new historical marker for Alice Collinsworth Thompson will be dedicated on Friday, October 7th at 10:00 a.m. at 5425 Crossings Blvd, Antioch, beside the Connexus Building. Parking will be at the rear of the building.
The marker text reads:
"Alice Thompson (1777-1828) married Revolutionary War veteran Edward Collinsworth (1759-1816) in Dec. 1795, after spending two years as a captive at the Muscogee (Creek) tribal town Kialegee, in present-day Alabama. Alice and Edward reared seven children on land deeded to Alice by her brother John (c.1765-1791). Their son James (1802-1838) signed the Texas Declaration of Independence. Alice, Edward, daughter Parmelia and two more generations are buried at the nearby family cemetery."
The second side of the marker features a detailed hand-drawn sketch of the ancestral home by George W. Horton, Jr., a descendant of Parmelia A. Collinsworth Davis. Come to the ceremony to check it out!
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The Hermitage Branch Library will host Unsolved Mysteries Discussion Group on Thursday, October 13th from 10:30-11:30 a.m. Bring your curiosity and discuss some of the world's greatest unsolved mysteries.
On Thursday, October 20th, the Bordeaux Branch Library will host Genealogy 101: Birth, Marriage & Death Records. Come out and learn how to use FamilySearch and HeritageQuest to search Vital Records. The event will run from 4:00-5:00 p.m.
Main Library is hosting a new exhibit, "Camp Forrest, TN – POW Exhibit: Friend, Enemy or Frenemy," through January 1st, 2023. Check out the Camp Forrest Foundation website for more information!
Metro Archives' Program Coordinator Sarah Arntz's newest blog post, "Is My House Haunted? And Other Property Research Questions," details the various resources available at the archives and how they can be used to learn the "genealogy for your home."
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Over the past few months, the trails in Shelby Bottoms received an upgrade! Eight new interpretive signs are now installed along the one-mile loop from the Shelby Bottoms Nature Center to the observation deck. These signs teach about the ecology of the area, history of native peoples, and the water systems that shape the park.
Join the Nashville tradition of celebrating and supporting American handmade craft as Tennessee Craft returns to the Great Lawn at Centennial Park for its 44th Annual Fall Craft Fair from October 7-9. Visit the Park to shop finely crafted artwork directly from juried and emerging artists. Plus, enjoy children’s activities, food from local vendors, and artist demonstrations. Fair hours are 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday.
Friends of Shelby Park will host a pop-up beer garden with East Nashville Beer works Fridays through October 21st from 3:00-8:00 p.m. at the Riverview Pavilion. With expanded grounds, more food options, and cooler temperatures on the way, you won't want to miss this limited series event.
Centennial Craft Fest has a new name! Musicians Corner Fall Market will be held on October 22nd and 23rd from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to shop from a variety of unique artisans and vendors. Plus, enjoy live acoustic performances, craft beer, food vendors, and Kidsville activities. It’s a perfect way to celebrate fall, engage with Nashville’s creative community, and help raise funds to support Centennial Park.
Image credit: Interpretive signage at Shelby Park. Courtesy Friends of Shelby Park & Bottoms.
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The Fort Negley Master Plan is undergoing a final round of edits and is expected to be released next month. The plan includes policy recommendations for treatment and interpretation of the site, along with proposed improvements to the Visitor Center, trails throughout the 64-acre park, and further restoration of the fort itself. MHC Staff has been working with the team of historians, landscape architects, archaeologists, and Metro Parks staff to ensure that the plan appropriately balances protection of the uniquely significant site with management of its future needs.
The rehabilitation of several sections of the fort's dilapidated stone walls by The Tradesmen Group continues, with the sally port and the north wall largely reconstructed. MHC staff is coordinating with Metro Parks and archaeologists from Tennessee Valley Archaeological Research to monitor the work and ensure that it meets the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. Discussions about the next phase of rehabilitation, if feasible, will begin soon.
Check out the following events happening at Fort Negley this month!
Fort Negley Guided Walking Tour (RSVP required)--October 1st from 2:00-3:30 p.m.
"The Meaning of Freedom in Union Occupied Territory: The Case of Nashville" with Dr. Thavolia Glymph, Duke University--October 8th at 1:00 p.m.
Nashville Civil War Roundtable--October 18th at 7:00 p.m.--David Mowery, author and historian, "Cincinnati in the Civil War" (based on his recent book)
Fossil Finders (RSVP required)--October 22nd from 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Fossils at the Fort--October 22nd from 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
To commemorate the 200th year of the Nashville City Cemetery, the Nashville City Cemetery Association (NCCA) will be hosting activities at the cemetery each Saturday in October. Guided Evening Lantern Tours will be given October 1, 8, 15, and 29 (see guides and themes below). Guests are encouraged to sign up early, as there is limited space is available for each tour. Tickets are $12 each.
Evening Lantern Tours:
October 1: Jeff Sellers, Director of Education and Community Engagement at Tennessee State Museum, "Symbolism of Death"
October 8: Dr. Carole Bucy, Davidson County Historian and Professor Emeritus of History at Volunteer State Community College, theme TBD
October 15: Oliver Arney, Board Member Nashville City Cemetery Association, "Nashville Politics"
October 29: Ashley White, Public Historian, "Murder & Mayhem"
On Saturday, October 22nd, the NCCA will host a Bicentennial Celebration at the cemetery from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The Bicentennial Anniversary Celebration will bring together historians, re-enactors, and vendors to celebrate the continued preservation of the Nashville City Cemetery. Join us to hear from historians Dr. Carole Bucy, Dr. Learotha Williams, and MHC Commissioner Jim Hoobler on the changing Nashville landscape. Activities also include demonstrations on cleaning tombstones, making headstones, and researching genealogy. Re-enactors will also be on site showcasing the site's 200-year history. There will be tours, mini-lectures, and other family-friendly history-related activities at the site. This event is free and open to everyone!
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On Wednesday, October 5th from 5:30-10:00 p.m., The DISTRICT will host the 2022 "High Rises and Honky Tonks" Progressive Party. Join your favorite merchants and neighbors for this annual fundraiser.
This year's party starts at Famous Nashville on 2nd Avenue North and moves to Whiskey River Saloon on Broadway. Afterward, head over to One Fourteen at The Wildhorse on 2nd Avenue North to bid on the silent auction items. Each ticket grants exclusive access to three venues, in addition to food, beer, and wine at each stop. Each venue will showcase its unique hospitality with featured items from its menu along with live entertainment. Tickets are $75 each and may be purchased online!
The DISTRICT is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to economic and community prosperity in three historic districts and their contiguous areas — Lower Broadway, 2nd Avenue and Printers Alley. Its programs seek to foster and stimulate growth of a district identity, community spirit, civic pride and unity while promoting the people in the area and to further retain downtown Nashville’s historic character.
Image credit: Downtown Nashville at night. Courtesy The DISTRICT Nashville.
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Press release statement from Nashville Zoo:
Nashville Zoo proudly announces that the Morton Family Exhibit and Opening was awarded Top Honors for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Angela Peterson Excellence in Diversity Award at the AZA Annual Conference in Baltimore, MD [in September].
The Grassmere property dates back to a land grant in 1786 and has been home to many people, including enslaved individuals and Black tenant farmers. In the early 1900s, Frank Morton and his family came to the Grassmere property to live and work as tenant farmers until 1973 and were crucial to the success of Grassmere.
Rick Schwartz, Nashville Zoo President and CEO, shared, "While Nashville Zoo is a young organization, it's important for us to tell the full story of our site's more than 200-year history, so that guests not only understand why we are fortunate to have a Zoo located on this beautiful property and how that came about, but also to understand there are more stories to be told, including that of the Morton family."
The Morton Family Exhibit is located in the cabin where Frank Morton and his family lived, near the Grassmere Historic Home. The exhibit showcases the importance of the Morton family’s legacy and examines their relationship with white land owners Margaret and Elise Croft. The exhibit fosters thoughtful, transparent, and respectful consideration of and conversation about our incredibly difficult shared history. The multi-award-winning exhibit is the result of years of research and collaboration with Frank Morton’s descendants. The opening ceremony was held on Juneteenth in 2021 (June 19, 2021) with more than 100 of Frank Morton's descendants in attendance.
The Angela Peterson Excellence in Diversity Award recognizes institutions that have made significant strides in creating influential and transformative programs in diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion. Nashville Zoo was awarded Top Honors for exemplifying inclusion, diversity and equity by examining a difficult part of local and regional history. To date, the Morton Family Exhibit and Opening have received seven awards from state, regional and national organizations including the Tennessee Association of Museums, American Association for State and Local History, Tennessee Historical Commission, Southeastern Museums Conference, and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Visit the Nashville Zoo website for more information about the exhibit!
Image credit: Interpretive panels on display at Morton Exhibit. Courtesy Nashville Zoo.
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The Edgehill walking and Civil War driving tours are being edited and should launch this fall/winter. Watch the Nashville Sites website and socials for the tour launch announcement!
Work continues on the National Trust for Historic Preservation LGBTQ+ grant, and intern Olivia Pugh digitized 3,316 pages of material this summer. Attention now turns to the fall Community Digitization Days. The first event will be on Saturday, October 15th from 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. at the Vanderbilt Center for Digital Humanities, with a second event planned for November. The project will also be represented at Boro Pride (9/17) and the Nashville AIDS Walk (10/1). A partnership has also been formed with Just Us @ Oasis.
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Interpreter needed at Two Rivers Mansion! For the past two years, Megan McCarthy and Ken Morgan have served as the Mansion's tour interpreters. Both have done outstanding jobs in leading groups though the Mansion and 1802 House while revealing the historical narrative of the property. Ken will be moving out of state later this year and with his move we will need to hire and train a new interpreter. This is a part-time position during the months of June, July, August and early December. Applicants should have an interest in history, enjoy interacting with people and be willing to learn the tour script.
The Friends of Two Rivers Mansion is also seeking new Board members! Its board meeting bi-monthly to conduct the business of the organization. Anyone interested in applying for a Board of interpreter position may email Laura Carillo or Phil Claiborne. If applying for the Board, please provide a summary of your experience and why you'd like to serve on this body.
Image credit: Sketch of Two Rivers Mansion by Phil Claiborne.
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On Saturday, October 1st from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Belmont Hillsboro Neighbors will host their annual home tour, now in its 24th year! This year's tour will include 8 historic homes, Belmont Mansion, and The Fisher Center at Belmont University. Tickets and Guide Books may be purchased the day of the event at The Fisher Center or at the corner of Belmont Blvd. and Dallas Ave. Tickets are $20 each and may also be purchased online! Thanks to everyone who makes this annual neighborhood event so special!
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The Bellevue Harpeth Historic Association (BHHA) will hold an open meeting on Monday, October 10th at 6:15 p.m. at the Bellevue Library. Historian and author Ralcon Wagner will speak at the event, discussing the history of horse cars, trolleys and buses in Nashville. The meeting is open to everyone.
The Bellevue Harpeth Historic Association is a 501c(3) organization dedicated to preserving and educating the public about the history of Bellevue and surrounding areas. BHHA's primary focus is on the preservation of the Belle Vue I Log Cabin.
Ralcon Wagner is the owner and manager of SJC Publishing, where he works as an independent writer, photographer and researcher specializing in transportation, travel, and American history. A resident of South Nashville for over 40 years, he published a book about this area of the city in 2018. His other books include Nashville's Streetcars and Interurban Railways (2016) and Tennessee Central Railway: The First 50 Years (2023, available for pre-order).
Image credit: A postcard showing Church Street, circa 1940, including the Cedar - Jo Johnston bus. Courtesy Nashville Public Library, Norton Postcard Collection.
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The National Trust for Historic Preservation recently announced a new grant program that will preserve Black Modernist architecture. Getty Foundation and the NTHP's African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund have partnered to provide up to $3.1 million in grants for the program. This initiative aims to "increase the recognition and protection of sites representing Black achievement." Applications for the Conserving Black Modernism grant program will be accepted beginning in November.
Local engineering consulting firm TRC Companies is now hiring for an Architectural Historian to work in the Environmental Sector of their Nashville office. This position will also be embedded in the Historic Preservation division at the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT). The ideal candidate will have strong prior experience working on projects related to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), particularly in regard to Tennessee and the DOT, and must meet the Secretary of Interior Standards for Architectural History or History. A working knowledge of Tennessee’s historic resources and an understanding of how to effectively evaluate resources for the National Register of Historic Places is required. Learn more and apply on the TRC website.
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Belmont Hillsboro Neighbors--24th Annual Historic Belmont Hillsboro Neighborhood Home Tour--October 1
Centennial Park--Celebrate Nashville Cultural Festival--October 1; Fall Tennessee Craft Fair--October 7-9
The DISTRICT Nashville--36th Annual Progressive Party--October 5
East Tennessee Preservation Alliance--East Tennessee Preservation Conference, ""Everyone is a Preservationist"--October 7
Friends of Warner Parks--Full Moon Fall Family Hike--October 7
Fort Negley Park--Lecture: The Meaning of Freedom in Union Occupied Territory with Dr. Thavolia Glymph (Duke University)--October 8
Bellevue Harpeth Historic Association--Meeting & Lecture w/historian Ralcon Wagner--October 10
Afro-American Historical & Genealogical Society--43rd National Conference--October 12-15
Cheekwood Estate & Gardens--Thursday Night Out Addams Family-themed Costume Contest--October 13
Frist Art Museum--Architecture Tour--October 15
Historic Travellers Rest--Twisted Tennessee--October 21
Nashville Parthenon--A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics--October 28 & 29
Tennessee State Museum--Haunted Museum Storytelling Festival--October 29
Two Rivers Mansion--2022 Spirit Legends Tours--various dates in October
Fort Negley--Laborers Flag Planting + Honor and Remembrance Ceremony--November 5
Belmont Mansion--David Alford's "A Holiday to Remember"--November 23-26
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